Noughts&Crosses: Jude's plan
by laoiser
Summary: the Liberation Militia offer to help Callum escape his fate... but is the price really worth it?
1. Chapter 1: Callum

Chapter 1: Callum

"I love you Sephy!" I screamed at the top of my voice.

"Don't be such a wuss, little brother," I heard in my ear, to my amazement. It was Jude. I didn't think he'd be listening yet.

One of his men from the LM came to visit me yesterday with a tiny ear piece and a skin-coloured kind of metal thing that you put around your neck that prevents the effects of hanging. He told me I was valuable to the Liberation Militia and that if I didn't co-operate with them after this my head would be straight back up on that noose. I figured I'd need to anyway, with the fact that almost every Cross in the country knows my name and face and would turn me in before I could blink taken into consideration.

"You just hang in there 'till I come for you in a couple of hours," followed by the course laughter of my older brother, obviously laughing at the pun.

"Just don't take too long to swing by," I replied, to which his laughter faded, fear taking it's place.


	2. Chapter 2: Sephy

Tears still flowed freely down my face. My heart had just been ripped from my chest. Callum is my heart. But I can't do anything stupid. I need to make his sacrifice worth it. I stepped out of the car, and walked up to my house, tears blurring my vision so much so that I hardly saw the white piece of paper with my name scrawled in messy handwriting at the top:

_**Persephone,**_

_**If you want to see your beloved Callum alive, meet me on the same beach from which your memories, pleasant and unpleasant, are shared.**_

_**I will be waiting**_

It didn't make sense to me for what seemed like an eternity, but I knew was only seconds. When it finally did I felt a hope I have never experienced take my entire being. He was alive. He _is _alive. And I could see him. I started hyperventilating. He's alive…..

Sand was intertwined in my toes, and Callum's. It was true. He was alive, with me and our baby.

I was so distracted by Callum's presence, and he by mine, that neither of us heard the people behind us, ready to kidnap me –again- and Callum didn't have anything to do with it. Of that I was certai, because I saw his mouth gagged and his hands held behind his back while he writhed trying to free himself. I did not even try. I knew that even if Callum could break free of our attackers', I would not stand a chance. So I let them take me. And Callum struggled,trying to free us both


	3. Chapter 3: Jude

Chapter 3: Jude

He had better do this. But he won't. If I know my brother at all I know he won't. But I can't bring myself to accept that. Not yet.

I walked into the room where my brother and his problem were being held.

"Jude," he sighed. "I should have known you had something to do with this. Don't you always."

I ignored him and carried on, not changing a tiny detail of my plan.

"Now, as you know, your life came with a condition. Co-operate with the LM. The LM want you to perform a task. It will really rub your survival in Kamal Hadley's face. You must kill his youngest daughter."

I saw the anger at being kidnapped turn to pure undiluted rage at the Liberation Militia.

"And if you don't do this all three of you will die. You. Her. Her kid.

"_IF I HAD KNOWN!" _My brother yelled as he jumped off his feet pinning me to the wall. "_IF I HAD KNOWN SHE WOULD BE PART OF YOUR 'MASTER' PLAN, I WOULD HAVE SWUNG! I WOUL D SOONER TURN MYSELF IN BEFORE BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DEATH!"_

I laughed a short, cruel laugh. "Don't you see, brother?" I giggled. "Don't you see that you are already responsible? You are a fool for caring for a bloody dagger. Remember Lynette? Why couldn't you have learned from her mistakes?" I saw the rage in his eyes turn to something I could not decipher.

"Were you in the group?" I was confused, then I understood and narrowed my own eyes in anger. "No, you weren't. But if she wasn't your sister, you would've been. I know you Jude. I know you've done things' worse than drive a girl to madness. So have I. But I don't want to be that person any more. I don't want the Liberation Militia."

I couldn't listen any more. "Don't you see," I hissed through closed teeth. "That dagger girl and her outcast kid are already dead. But it's you I want to save. Make your choice." I tossed him a shotgun…


	4. Chapter 4: Callum

Chapter4: Callum

I was blatantly aware of Sephy cowering behind me. There was no way in hell that I was going to let him hurt her, or my baby.

He tossed me the shotgun. I had a choice to make. The who forces the choice or the one who would risk herself for a few moments with me?

I knew immediately who had my favour, but what would I have to resort to to keep her? I knew the answer. But I was unsure of myself. Whether I'd be able to do it. Jude is my brother, but sometimes being family just isn't enough. I have hurt and killed more people than I can count during my time with the LM. But I was afraid this was too much for me.

I dropped my gaze from his momentarily but quickly returned it to his eyes, afraid he would get the wrong idea.

"She did it on purpose you know. She left me a note, explaining everything. She killed herself, Jude. Just think about the amount of Lynette's you've come across. Think about the amount of people you've hurt just because they love crosses. They are replicas' of our beloved sister, Jude. You could be the reason that so many people like us anguish."

i knew it was unlikely to work, but it was worth a try. It's better than my alternative.

"Shut up, little brother. How can you possible know this? I think you're lying."

"If you make me choose, Jude, you are no longer my brother," I spoke clearly, defining every word, slowly raising the pistol. I aimed it at Sephy. I saw the fear in her eyes and it pained me to know she saw anger in mine. "If you were I couldnt do this!"

I adjusted my aim to my brother's chest and shot before i could think any more about it...


End file.
